question_answer

A man is standing on a platform which oscillates up and down simple harmonically. How will the weight of the man change as recorded by a weighing machine on the platform?

Answer:

                As the platform moves from the mean position to the upper extreme position or from upper extreme position to mean position, the acceleration of the oscillating system acts vertically downwards and hence weight of the man will decrease. On the other hand, as the platform moves from mean position to lower extreme position and then back to mean position, the acceleration acts vertically upwards. Hence weight of the man increases.